How do you know when your chain is worn out?

I was there when Dave`s chain went "Kersnickitty" . I too had a Tsubaki chain on that had done 22,000 miles , I thought it would do Scotland and back as it was Scottoilered etc . I viewed my concerns about my chain and Dave showed me his ....... I cringed . Sure enough , the very next day ............. Dave`s riding Holiday turned into a "Drinking at the campsite" Holiday . My chain started to feel iffy halfway through the rideout and I had to seriously back right off on the last half of the rideout ....... suffice to say that when I returned to Wales that thing was clunking at 80 on the Motorway and I was bricking it ...... thinking that any minute it would die on me . It got me home and was replaced . NOW ... the weird thing is that replacement chain snapped on me only a month ago , was exactly the same chain , scottoilered , not abused as it was used over the Winter , nowhere near needing replacing and it snapped and sheared off my Clutch Push Rod . I was very very lucky that was all that happened . AA got me home and I fitted a new chain and sprockets and bought a new Rod , Bike was off the road for 3 days whilst stuff arrived ....... can you wait that long abroad if not longer ?

[Stu]

I discovered a stiff link in August last year, just got round to replacing it. So it survived all that time and I get to appreciate the new chain all the more because it was seriously nasty by the end of it's life. But then again I didn't do any big trips on it that would have been ruined if it gave up. just several thousands of miles commuting etc.

[Richie]

simply take a new chain and sprockets and torque wrench, engine case (if it shears and cracks your one) with you on your trip....

or for peice of mind get it changed now and not have the worry.
just for the record my sv chain lasted 11k miles .
hth's
and have a great trip :0)

I don't use a Scotoiler or such but regularly clean and lube my chain[OCD]plus clean the sprockets. I don't have worn sprockets or lift in the links and my chain has done over 20k so what is the life expectancy of a chain and sprockets?

[buckstone]

Shortly after I got off the boat at Rotterdam, mine started needing adjusting every 100 miles. Felt absolutely horrible - like it was slipping half the time. By the time we'd been to Assen and were on the way back, it was dead. One of the guys stayed with me (just in case) and we limped back to the boat at a constant 60mph.

When I got to Leeds I got a new chain and sprockets (530 conversion) and it felt absolutely brilliant on the rest of the journey home.

Oh, how I wished I'd swapped it before I went ......

If you swap it a fortnight before you go or a fortnight after you get back, the cost is going to be the same. You'll get some piece of mind if you go for the former.

just drove it to the north west 200 today, about 60-65 miles each way, and was experiencing some not so good vibrations though the footpegs, which suggests the chain to me, so it probably will be changed before the trip, only thing is it has been cleaned and waxed much more than recommended, which is annoying me because its supposed to do like 20k and its not anything near that, seems an awful waste of a chain.

but id rather be safe than sorry, from what i read here the scottoiler seems a good idea, i thot a well maintained chain would last similar, but it seems not, so the chain will probably get changed just before i go, the bike isnt used much atm due to having a 125cc that uses like 1/3 the fuel and needing to save for the holiday, so it should last the 42 days till i go. i hope.

Originally Posted by Dicky Ticker

I don't use a Scotoiler or such but regularly clean and lube my chain[OCD]plus clean the sprockets. I don't have worn sprockets or lift in the links and my chain has done over 20k so what is the life expectancy of a chain and sprockets?

All depends on the maintenance regime and what make/grade of chain is fitted. I clean my DID VM irregularly but have a Scottoiler that's been fitted from new. So far I've got 7000 miles hard use from it and only needed to adjust it by 1/6th of a turn of the adjuster screws. Even then I think I may have overtightened it ever so slightly. I've seen chains on similar bikes trashed at 8000 miles. Best I ever got was 25,000 miles from a DID ZVM chain on a ZZR1100 with a Scottoiler. It may have lasted much longer, but I sold the bike with that C+S on it and had taken up half the adjustment by then. Chains and sprockets tend to wear faster in the latter part of their life cycle, so I suspect it did maybe 6 or 7 thousand miles after it left my hands.

The other day we had a 2008 plated Chinese 125 trailie parked outside, the guy had fitted a new chain and sprockets 4000 miles ago before winter and done nothing to it since. That was the worst chain I have ever seen - it was almost hitting the deck on the bottom run and the top run was laying along the swingarm absolutely covered in rust. The rear wheel around the sprocket and swingarm were also ginger coloured from where the chain had deposited rust. Both sprockets were almost rounded right off.

That guy was complaining that his clutch was slipping and making a noise, turned out his clutch was fine but the chain was jumping the teeth on the sprockets.

right, this scottoiler sounds like a plan.....ive a few questions

How does it work?
where does it mount?
How long do the refills last?
Does this mean I need to clean the chain put not oil it?

By the sounds of it one of these would be a worthwile investment

Originally Posted by warrenhewitt10

right, this scottoiler sounds like a plan.....ive a few questions

How does it work?
where does it mount?
How long do the refills last?
Does this mean I need to clean the chain put not oil it?

By the sounds of it one of these would be a worthwile investment

Do a search on this site or google and all will be explained.

[maviczap]

If you haven't got the time or funds to fit a Scottoiler, then one of these should help on your trip. Simple to fit and set up and won't break the bank.

Better than no scottoiler. Got a Ride magazine recommeded rating

http://www.tutorochainoiler.com/